Greater Compliment
by Lady Callista
Summary: In the end, it all comes down to trust. (Post 4.3, Captain Swan, cannon friendly)
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Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Once Upon A Time. ABC, Disney, and whoever else have that distinction No profit is being made, and no copywrite infringement in intended.

AN: Spoilers for 4.3 _Rocky Road_, as this takes place immediatly following the last CS scene in that episode. Cause apparently my muse is as obsessed with Captain Swan as I am, and because I think this could be such an emotional moment and turning point, yet it is rarely, that I've found, featured in fics. Enjoy, and as always please let me know what you think.

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><p><span>Greater Compliment<span>

by Lady Callista

_OoOoOoOoO_

_"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved" -George MacDonald_

_OoOoOoOoO_

"So will you have that drink with me?" Killian asked as the kiss finally broke, although neither of them made any move to pull away from the other.

"It's been a long day, I kinda just wanna go home and crash." Emma admitted honestly. "And I know what you said about how there's always going to be a crisis, but..."

"It's alright, Swan." He said gently, kissing her forehead as he took a small step back, his arms sliding down her back until hand and hook rested lightly on her hips. "It has been a long day, I just had to see you before it ended; I wouldn't have been able to sleep thinking things were so wrong between us. And right now I just want a few more minutes with you in my arms."

Emma realized she wanted those extra minutes as well. "I could walk you home."

Killian chuckled. "I could invite you in."

"Just for a few minutes." She whispered, arms sliding down from around his neck to take his hand in one of hers.

They grinned at each other before turning and heading back to Granny's.

They went in the back way, ascending the stairs silently, and when he unlocked his door she didn't hesitate to follow him in.

He turned even as she pulled the door closed behind her, and his eyes were hot as he took a step forward, backing her against the door. "I could ask you to stay." His voice was just a little bit wicked as his fingers reached up to thread through her hair.

"I can't, not yet." Emma felt genuine regret about that at the moment, but knew it was true.

He shifted slightly closer to her, nothing on his face showing he was either surprised or upset by her words. He didn't even seem disappointed, likely because he had known what her answer would be. "At least kiss me a little longer before sending me to my lonely bed."

She chuckled as she slid her arms under his coat and around him, her hands coming to rest low on his back. "That I can do."

The kiss turned passionate at once, although they held a slight distance between their bodies and kept their hands stationary. They both knew that they couldn't let themselves go too far, knew that not rushing this was the way to go, but as the kiss spun on Emma found herself getting lost in the scent and taste of him, and the heat of him against her body. It had been so long since she'd been with someone like this.

Almost unconsciously her hands fisted in the back of his shirt, pulling it from his pants to dance fingers along his spine. His hand in her hair tightened briefly before relaxing, and Killian broke the kiss gasping her name.

He slid back from her then, eyes hot with passion, body tensed as he fought for control.

Emma was still lost in him, and her hands slid around his waist, un-tucking the shirt as she went, thrilling when he shivered under her touch. Her hands slid under his shirt then, fingers tracing over warm flesh, watching his eyes burn into hers as she traced over his defined abs, feathered her fingertips higher until they encountered a leather strap at his shoulder. She assumed it had something to do with the way his hook was attached and would have simply passed over it in the desire for more touch, more heat, but he suddenly froze and then started to draw away from her.

"Hook." She breathed the name and saw the flash of pain in his eyes before they skirted to the side, looking anywhere but at her. She realized her mistake at once, but using the nickname was a habit it would take time to break. Emma left her fingers laying lightly on the strap as she let her palm drop to rest over his heart. "Killian." Her voice was still soft, and when he didn't turn to look at her she slid the hand that had been around his neck to his cheek, urging him to meet her eyes. When he did, the vulnerability mixed with the heat she had seen earlier nearly took her breath away.

"I've never... I mean no woman has..."

Killian didn't finish either thought, but he didn't have to. She knew he wasn't saying that he hadn't been with a woman since the hook, he was a pirate after all, but, "You never took off your shirt?"

"Sometimes. It wasn't like I was ever going to see them again, it didn't matter what they thought of me." The intensity in his eyes was almost painful to look at, and although he tried to give her his trademark smirk as he went on, it didn't reach his eyes, "But it wouldn't do for the famous Captain Hook to not have a hook while he's shagging a wench."

No, it didn't really matter what a one night stand thought of you, Emma knew that all too well. She saw through the bravado he'd tried to put into his last sentence though, and focused in on what he had left unsaid. It hadn't mattered what those random girls thought, but it did matter _what she thought_. He worked so hard on projecting the image, of being the swaggering, sexy, devil-may-care pirate that everyone thought he was, and she saw the flickers of terror in his eyes at the thought that this would change how she saw him, probably somehow make him less of a man.

The thought whispered through her mind that it would actually make him more of one, and make her fall more... nope, she wasn't going to go there yet. It had been hard enough to let him in as much as she had, and Emma knew herself well enough to know that if they moved too fast it would just trigger her to run away.

And she didn't want to run away from this man.

Emma blinked rapidly as she felt his shoulder shift under her hand, which still rested over his heart as well as the strap that held his hook. She realized she had been getting lost in her thoughts at the same instant she realized that the last thought hadn't inspired terror as it once would have, but rather a warm feeling that flooded up from her belly. "You've never let a woman see you without the hook." Her voice held a gentleness she was barely aware she possessed.

"No." His voice was barely a whisper, although his eyes held hers this time, refusing to look away. "It's ugly."

"It's not." Emma whispered. "I've seen you without it, remember, in the hospital. It doesn't matter to me, trust me on this."

"Swan, your eyes never left my face. Even when I gestured with it, asked about the hook, even then you didn't look at it. And that's okay, really it is luv, I know it's ugly and..."

She cut him off at that. "Nothing about you is ugly. And I did look, I just didn't stare. It really doesn't matter to me, Killian, it's just part of who you are." _Everyone I've ever been with is dead. I can't lose you too. _"We all have scars, some of them just happen to be on the inside. You know about most of mine. Let me see yours." Emma whispered, her hand sliding from his cheek to grasp the hook that rested on her hip, bringing it up to her lips and kissing it lightly.

His breath hitched even as his eyes widened, and the mix of awe and gratitude shining in those bright blue depths caused her heart to melt. She'd thought his face had been open earlier, but it was nothing compared to now. "Swan..."

"Trust me." She breathed as she cut him off with a kiss.

TBC...


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Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Once Upon A Time. ABC, Disney, and whoever else have that distinction No profit is being made, and no copywrite infringement in intended.

AN: Rating bumped up to T cause Hook really is a walking innuendo, and I always rate things on the safe side. Thanks so much for the comments on the first part, I hope the conclusion lives up to your expectations. Reviews are welcome as always, either kudos or constructive criticisms. Fingers crossed that this week's episode will have another wonderful CS scene, cause I'm really getting into writing one of these after each episode.

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><p><span>Greater Compliment<span>

by Lady Callista

_OoOoOoOoO_

_"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved" -George MacDonald_

_OoOoOoOoO_

The kiss grew and their bodies shifted again, gravitating back toward each other until they were pressed together from chest to hip. Her fingers were still wrapped around his hook, her other hand still over his heart. His hand slid up her back until his fingers were tangled in her hair, and she melted into him when his hand fisted and urged her head sideways to deepen the kiss.

He'd been so gentle the other times they kissed, passionate yes, Emma's mind drifted happily to that first kiss in Neverland, passionate yet tender, almost sweet. Despite the fact that he was basically a walking innuendo he hadn't pushed her in the slightest, which was something she hadn't thought she'd ever be able to say about Captain Hook. He claimed to be a gentleman, in the old sense of the word, and indeed he was.

Or had been until now.

This kiss was different, and Emma felt herself being swept away in the passion of it as their bodies slid together like never before, and his hand swept down her back to cup her ass, urging her closer. Their tongues fought for dominance as the kiss grew more and more heated, and she began to feel lightheaded from its duration.

She had the errant thought that she had already thought he kissed better than any man she had ever kissed, and he was currently setting a personal best.

When the kiss finally broke Emma found her forehead falling forward to land on his shoulder as she gasped for breath. His own breath was harsh in her ear, and for a long moment they did nothing but hold each other and relearn how to breath.

"I can't promise my patience if we keep this up, luv." His voice was a husky whisper, and she could feel his body trembling slightly as he fought for control. His hand jerked to rest on the safer territory of her hip as if he had only now realized where it had been.

"Right this second I don't want your patience." Emma whispered without thought, then realized what she had said and took a deep breath. As good an idea as it seemed at the moment, Emma knew it would be a disaster to move this quickly. Well, maybe quickly was the wrong word given how long they'd been dancing around each other, but... but this phase of their relationship had really only just begun, and... His body tensing in her arms reminded her that her thoughts were running away from her again, and she sighed when she felt his head turn enough to drop a kiss on her temple.

"Emma." He whispered her name like a prayer, and when he murmured huskily in her ear Emma felt a shiver run down her spine, "Do you want the gentleman or the pirate?"

Emma forced herself to open her eyes, to raise her head and slide part of the way out of his arms. What she wanted and what was wise were two different things, but for an instant she let herself imagine what would happen if she stayed, because that was what he was really asking.

It had been quite a while since she'd been with a man, and she was aching with desire from what had already passed between them. And if the fireworks just from his kiss were any indication, well, when they did finally come together it was going to be extraordinary, but... "I want _you_. I want to stay but, but I shouldn't. Not yet, I'm sorry but not yet." His mention of the pirate made her want to bring up the hook again, but she decided to leave it for tonight, to let him think about what she had said. She knew from the way he had kissed her after she kissed his hook that she had already removed some of his fear, and if she wanted patience from him it was only fair to offer it in return.

"You don't have to be sorry, luv." Killian's voice was still deep, still had the breathlessness that made him sound even sexier than normal, although she would never tell him that. "I want you to stay, but you're right, not yet."

Emma took another step back, but didn't release her hold on his hook. His hand reached out as she moved back, and their fingers slid together. "Goodnight, Killian."

"Swan..." His eyes stayed locked on the only two points of contact left between them for a long moment, and when he looked up to meet her eyes it was with his heart and soul bared to her in the watery depths of his own. "Emma, before you go, help me take it off?"

He had whispered the question, but she understood it was more an offer than a request. "You're sure?" She had never thought she would be the one asking him that.

His face went so blank even she couldn't read him. "Well, if you don't want to..."

"It's not that." Even without him giving her any clues, she knew him well enough to know what he was trying to do and cut him off. "What I said earlier, what I meant was you don't need to flinch when I touch you." She ran her fingers along his hook, tracing one of the leather straps that went up his arm and resting her hand over his heart again. It was hard to feel through the thick leather coat, which was why she had never really noticed before, but now that she was thinking about it the leather strap wasn't hard to trace. "You don't have to be ashamed, and you don't have to wonder if I'm disgusted by it. I wasn't trying to get you to take such a huge step tonight, and I'm not sure you shirtless is conducive to me leaving."

Killian's smirk reached his eyes as her voice turned teasing, and he allowed her to lighten the mood briefly, something that he normally did yet he could very much appreciate her returning. "Afraid the sight of me shirtless will shatter all of your control?"

"Maybe there's not much of it left by this point." Emma whispered, blushing.

"Well, I can take the brace off meself obviously, but it really is easier to have help, Smee used to do it for me, and, well... I trust you."

_Try something new, darling, it's called trust. _

_That's what you think this is about, that I don't trust you? Of course I trust you!_

She smiled, knowing enough of his past to know how rarely he said that to anyone. Knowing it was as hard for him to trust people as it was for her. "Killian, I'm not lying, I really have seen..."

"It's different." He interrupted her softly, dropping her hand to ghost his fingers over her cheek, smiling when she leaned into his touch. "It's like if I'd accidentally walked in on you shirtless; while I certainly wouldn't object it's not the same as you letting me undress you."

Emma rolled that thought around in her head for a moment before nodding in understanding. "I'm still leaving once I help you."

"My word as a gentleman, I won't let you ravish me tonight." His eyes were teasing, but turned serious as he added, "It really is easier with help, Swan, it doesn't have to be more than that."

"But it is." She smiled gently. "Show me what to do."

Killian's hand slid from her cheek to take her hand, wrapping her fingers around his hook again, leaving his hand over hers. "Hold tight."

Emma tightened her grip as she felt him starting to twist his wrist, and a second later his hand dropped away from hers as well, leaving her touching nothing but the hook, which detached from him with a soft click. She kept her voice soft, but needed to fill the sudden silence before it turned awkward. "I still remember the first time we met, the first time I saw this. All four of us ladies saw you without it, and it didn't seem to bother you then."

"It was necessary," Killian said softly, "And well, remember what I said about not caring what strangers thought. Besides, it's not just being without the hook, more than the four of you have seen that over the years, not always by my choice."

The brief hardening in his eyes spoke of painful memories she hoped he would share with her one day, but for now she simply set the hook on the closest flat surface and reached up to push his coat off of his shoulders.

He let it fall unceremoniously to the ground, taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulders as the weight fell away. "It's not the lack of the hook itself, it's seeing the wound, seeing how my arm..."

"Hospital." Emma reminded him gently, seeing the trepidation in his eyes as her hands moved to the buckles of his vest and made quick work of them.

"Still not the same, luv." He insisted, yet he made no move to stop her when she pushed the vest from his shoulders as well.

Yet again she was the one who lightened the mood, sliding her fingers under his still untucked shirt to run her fingernails lightly up and down his back, smirking when he shivered. "Stop worrying about your arm and focus on the fact that I'm undressing you."

"That would be easier if I was returning the favor." Killian grinned back, his eyes twinkling in a way that showed he was teasing, at least mostly.

She concentrated on the fact that his body had relaxed at her words, and let him see the understanding and promise in her eyes as she started to push his shirt up. "Soon."

Rather than raising his arms to assist her, he gently captured her hands in his own and moved them away. Emma opened her mouth to reassure him again, but before she could speak he made a tsking sound and presented both arms to her, at chest height and with his wrists turned up. She smiled in embarrassment -so she'd never undressed a pirate before, most people hadn't- as she saw how tightly the wrists of the shirt were laced. It would have been like trying to pull off a man's dress shirt without unbuttoning the cuffs, she thought as she slowly untied and loosened the laces.

His words confirmed it, and the familiar flirting tone made her embarrassment fade away as she realized all the fear was gone from his eyes. "This may not be the romantic scene I've imagined, but let's not turn it into a farce."

"What _do _you imagine?" Emma asked with a wicked smile as she finished with the cuffs, and this time when she lifted his shirt he cooperated with her to remove it.

His face was lost in the shirt for a moment, and when it reappeared it was sporting a wicked grin, a heat in his eyes that promised all sorts of naughty things. For a moment, as she let her eyes trace over his physique, she wanted everything those eyes promised.

"I'd rather not spoil the surprise, daring. I'd rather wait until I can show you."

"Soon." She promised back, pulling her eyes from his and running them over the contraption on his arm and shoulder, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to push down her desire. It seemed vaguely similar to a shoulder holster, though obviously with a different design as it had a different purpose. She saw a buckle at the shoulder and reached for it. "Here?"

He nodded, face still calm and trusting. Emma grasped the buckle, found the tension on it enough that it took her both hands to undo it. "How do you do it by yourself?" She wondered aloud as she opened it, watching as he shrugged out of the shoulder part of the harness, his hand automatically catching the brace before it slid down his arm.

"Practice, and me teeth." He said with a grin, locking his eyes on hers, delaying for a moment as he quipped, "I can do all sorts of things with my mouth that most men would never think of."

She grinned back, leaning up to kiss him softly even as her hands slid around his on the brace, gently pulling it down and setting it on the table next to his hook.

This kiss had none of the urgency and fire of their earlier ones, and it wasn't so much her body thrumming as her heart. They both slid back at the same time, and Emma smiled softly at him before looking down at his arm, tracing the faint lines the leather left in his skin, seeing the thickened skin around the base, white and red with a mixture of scars and irritation from the leather cap. She couldn't imagine the pain he had endured.

Compassion swirling through her, Emma raised the limb to her lips, starting at his elbow and leaving a light trail of kisses all the way up to what was left of his wrist.

"Emma."

It was a breathless whisper, and she left her lips on the curve of the stump as she raised her eyes to his. His hand came up to cup her cheek, and she kissed the stump once again before tilting her head to kiss his palm the exact same way. She spoke with her breath still ghosting warm over his palm, "It really doesn't matter to me."

"Thank you." Killian's voice swirled with emotions, and they both knew he was thanking her for much more than just her help.

"Thank you." Her smile was gentle, and she tilted forward to drop a kiss on the angry red mark the buckle had left on his shoulder.

"If you want to leave, lass, you really should do it now." His eyes were heating up again, but his tone still teasing, "Because I promised to not let you ravish me tonight, but it's getting really difficult to remain a gentleman here."

"I'm going." Emma raised up on her toes to kiss him lightly, "Meet me downstairs for breakfast tomorrow? Around 9?"

"As you wish." Killian removed his hands from her and took a small step back, his head tilting as her eyes lit with mirth and she started to smile before she could stop herself. "Why do you always smirk when I say that?" Curiosity lit his eyes.

Emma blushed and looked down, answering before she lost her nerve, "It's from a movie, a, a story in this world. Although come to think of it for all I know it's not a story but real as well. _As you wish _is one of the most famous lines from the story, only it really means something else."

"What does it mean?"

She avoided the question. "We really need to get around to that Netflix marathon. Although I don't know if you'll love or hate the one that particular quote is from."

Amusement shown at her evasion, and he shook his head as he leaned in to kiss her lightly. "What does it mean, luv?"

Emma grinned, backing up to the door and opening it. "It's said by a boy, to a princess." She winked at him as she left the room. "And it means he's not ready to say a certain three words yet, so he uses other ones instead. I'll see you tomorrow."

She started to close the door even as she saw the realization dawning on his face as to what she meant, and just before the door clicked shut those three words whispered through it.

THE END

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><p>AN2: Oh, and for the person who asked: Yes, all of my stories are cannon friendly, and all of them can go together. Reading one will never be necessary to understand another, but since they're sort of my head cannon there may be references to other stories. Plus if you like one you'll probably like the others. ;) (of course there is a chance that as new episodes air something in one of my stories will go against cannon, but I'll cross that bridge if I come to it)<p> 


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